Food Policy and Nutrition

The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established by the Eleventh Session of the FAO Conference in 1961. Following the recommendations of the FAO Conference, those of the Twenty-ninth Session of the WHO Executive Board and a Joint FAO/WHO Executive Board and a Joint FAO/WHO Conference on Food Standards held in 1962, the Commission has been responsible for the implementation of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.

The Commission is responsible for making proposals to, and shall be consulted by, the Directors-General of FAO and WHO on all matters pertaining to the implementation of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, the purpose of which is:

a. To protect the health of the consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade;

b. to promote coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations;

c. to determine priorities, to initiate and guide the preparation of draft standards through, and with, the aid of appropriate organizations;

d. to finalize standards elaborated under (c) above and, after acceptance by Governments, publish them in a Codex Alimentarius either as regional or worldwide standards together with international standards already finalized by other Bodies under (b) above, wherever practicable;

e. to amend published standards after appropriate survey in the light of development.

Membership

Open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO and WHO which are interested in international food standards. Membership comprises those nations which have notified the Director-General of FAO or of WHO of their wish to be considered as Members of the Commission.